promptly

adverb

prompt·​ly ˈpräm(p)t-lē How to pronounce promptly (audio)
ˈpräm-plē
1
: in a prompt manner : without delay : very quickly or immediately
I'm going to speak French again, something I learned in school and promptly forgot.Deanna Pai
Treatment is promptly resumed until the virus is suppressed again, and then stopped to see if the patient's immune system is able to keep the viral levels in check.Joan Stephenson
2
: exactly at a particular time or the correct time
She arrived promptly at 7:00 p.m. as we had agreed.

Examples of promptly in a Sentence

shipped the package promptly so that it would arrive on time
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even in areas accustomed to heavier snowfalls, accumulations in this range can result in delays, collisions and road closures if not treated promptly. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025 Campus officials activated a lockdown and promptly closed the university. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025 The national attention has raised questions locally about safety on Charlotte’s rail line, what measures will be taken to improve it and why city and transit leaders didn’t move more promptly to address the situation. Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025 Use mobile device management (MDM) tools to push updates remotely or require users to install OS updates and patches promptly. Mike Rosen, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for promptly

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of promptly was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Promptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/promptly. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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